I May Be Crazy, But I'm Not Stupid!
by Thesaurusgirl
Summary: Sometimes how well a lesson is learned depends on who's doing the teaching.


**Disclaimer: I don't own any part of Numb3rs or any of the characters.**

**Author's note: This little story popped into my head after a comment David made on a recent episode. It helps if you read "The One That Got Away" first. Ok, enough shameless self-promotion. On with the show.**

I May Be Crazy, But I'm Not Stupid!

"_Man, I will be glad when Granger gets back from his fishing trip" Sinclair groused to Nickki Bentancourt._

After a much needed, long, uninterrupted getaway, Colby was finally back at work. Being surrounded by the familiar sights and sounds of the bull-pen felt good. Not to mention the smells. (I will never forget to pack coffee again!) he vowed. He surreptitiously gave his cup of coffee a healthy sniff. "Did you miss daddy?" he thought to it silently, " cause he missed you. Yes, he did. Oh, yes he did." He sipped contentedly.

Ten days immersed in the wilds of Idaho, soaking up fresh air, sleeping until he was good and ready to crawl out of his sleeping bag, freed from the tension and pressure of the job, ratcheted down his stress level by several notches. Perfection itself (minus the unintentional java fast, of course). Granger couldn't remember the last time he'd felt this loose.

"So, how was the fishing trip?" Don Eppes asked, finally catching up with his newly returned agent after being trapped in a budget meeting for two torturous, interminable hours. Behind him, David, Nikki and Liz were completing paperwork from the latest case, trading barbs back and forth.

"Oh, man, great" Colby answered, stretching to almost his full length, "I tell ya, Don, don't get me wrong, I love doing this job, but that trip was the best. Nobody else around, I could _see_ the stars, hear myself think and breath fresh air. I slept like a log every night. It beats the pants off some expensive, noisy vacation to someplace like, say, I don't know, maybe uh, New York." This last said with an expectant, crooked grin. He didn't have to wait long.

"I heard that Idaho" David responded, right on queue, readily leaping to the defense of his home turf.

"Alright, boys, don't start." Liz spoke up, rolling her eyes.

"Did you actually catch anything, or just spend ten days standing in cold water wondering if you were smarter than a fifth grade fish?" Nikki asked, her tone clearly conveying her opinion of wilderness retreating.

"For your information, Agent Bentancourt, I caught the limit. That's another thing. There is no fine dining better than fresh caught trout cooked over an open flame. And I still have eight good sized steelhead left, cleaned and grill ready at home in the freezer" Colby answered back with a satisfied air.

"Eight?" Don asked, giving Sinclair a sideways glance

"Grill ready?" David echoed, giving the look right back to his boss.

Granger caught on a hair too late. He looked ruefully at Don. "I walked right into that one, didn't I?"

"What night should I tell Charlie to reserve the grill for?" Don responded, taking his own turn looking satisfied. He grinned smugly.

"Go ahead and pick one" Colby sighed, resigned. He mentally bid good-bye to his excess catch. Well, it was good while it lasted.

"Did you run into any bears this time?" David queried , chuckling at Colby's somewhat dejected air.

"No. No bears this trip. I picked a different spot this time. Didn't have to spend any time communing with the trees, and I got to keep everything I pulled out of the lake." He cast a look around at his teammates. "For a while, anyway" he concluded good-naturedly.

'You moved your spot? Didn't you tell me that once you find a good spot you should always stick with it?" David wondered, surprised.

"David, that particular patch of territory happens to be inhabited by a grizzly bear. There's not a fishing spot on the planet good enough to make me consider pissing off a grizzly."

"Pissing it off? Why would it be pissed, Colby?"

'Look, man, it already gave me the bum's rush once. All I need is for it to come amblin' out of the trees, take one look at me and think "GGRRRRR!!! You! I may be crazy, but I'm not stupid!"

The End


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